Simon Cowell remembers Liam Payne, his 'X-Factor' protege: 'I feel empty'

Simon Cowell is remembering his former protégé Liam Payne.

The music executive, "X-Factor" creator and One Direction architect remembered the late singer as someone who was "kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused" and had genuine love for the fans.

"Liam, I am truly devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty," Cowell wrote on Instagram Friday. "And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you."

Payne was found dead after falling from his third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.

Payne auditioned twice on the U.K. reality program before being launched into superstardom. He advanced after auditioning in 2008 and 2010 and was cut both times.

"I had to tell you when you were 14 that this wasn't your time," Cowell wrote. "And we both made a promise that we would meet again. A lot of people would have given up. You didn't. You came back and within months the whole world knew Liam."

In 2010, Payne was saved from elimination when Cowell and fellow judges Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh folded him into a band with fellow teen solo artists Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.

One Direction was eventually signed to Cowell's music label and went on to sell over $70 million copies. The group took an indefinite hiatus in 2016 following the release of their fifth album, "Made in the A.M."

Cowell reflected on a sit-down with Payne last year and meeting the singer's 7-year-old son, Bear, adding: "He will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it."

The "For You" singer's former bandmates released joint and individual statements on Payne's death. Cowell said their tributes confirmed his belief that the band members were like brothers.

"And now, Liam, I can see the effect you had on so many people," he said. "Because you left us too soon."

Buenos Aires police said Wednesday that Payne's fall resulted in "extremely serious injuries," and he was confirmed to be dead at the scene, according to The Associated Press.

On Thursday, the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 16 in Argentina announced in a press release that the One Direction singer died from "polytrauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage." Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, they said in the release translated from Spanish to English, but prosecutors believe Payne was alone when the fall occurred.

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Pamela Avila and Jay Stahl

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simon Cowell breaks silence on Liam Payne death